FLEX College Prep® Terms of Use

Posted Date: April 19, 2023
Effective Date: April 19, 2023

This Terms of Use (“Agreement”) constitutes a legally binding contract between FLEX College Prep with a mailing address of FLEX College Prep 800 Roosevelt, Suite 100, Irvine, CA 92620. (“FLEX College Prep”, “we,” “us,” “our”) and you, as a User (“User”, “Users”, “you” or “your”) with respect to the FLEX College Prep Services located at https://flexcollegeprep.com (“Services”). 

It is important that you carefully read and understand the terms and conditions of this Agreement. By accessing and using our Services, you are providing your consent to abide by this Agreement. If you do not agree to these terms and conditions of the Agreement, you are not authorized to use the Services and we ask that you cease any use of our Services. 

Please note that this Agreement contains disclaimers of warranties and limitations on liability that may be applicable to you.

1. Intended Users. FLEX College Prep Services are intended to be used by users from all over the United States. While using the Service, your use of the Service must not violate any applicable laws, including copyright or trademark laws, export control or sanctions laws, or other laws in your or our jurisdiction. You are responsible for making sure that your use of the Service is in compliance with laws and any applicable regulations. 

2. Permitted Uses
  1. License. Subject to full compliance with this Agreement, FLEX College Prep grants you a nonexclusive, nontransferable, non-sublicensable, terminable license to access and use our Services for your use.
  2. Private Use. The services made available on, by or through our Services, as well as any information provided on, by or through our Services, including but not limited to data, text, graphics, designs, logos, images, audio/visual materials, links, and references (collectively, the “Information”), are provided for use only and not for any for-profit or commercial activities or purpose or for resale, except as expressly permitted herein.
  3. Reproduction. Without the express written consent of FLEX College Prep, no Information or any other FLEX College Prep materials or property may be copied, reproduced, displayed, republished, downloaded, posted, digitized, translated, modified, transmitted, distributed, or commercially exploited in any way, except as expressly permitted in this Agreement.
  4. Unauthorized Use. You understand and agree that you may not authorize any Information to be reproduced, modified, displayed, performed, transferred, distributed, or otherwise used by any third party, and you agree that you will take all reasonable steps to prevent any unauthorized reproduction and/or other use of the Information. You agree to advise FLEX College Prep promptly of any such unauthorized use of which you are aware. Failure to abide by these conditions will immediately terminate permission to use our Services and may result in the infringement of the copyrights and/or trademarks and other proprietary rights of FLEX College Prep or others.

3. Third Party Links. Our Services may contain links to other Services for your convenience. The fact that we offer such links does not indicate any approval or endorsement by us of any linked Services or any material contained on any linked Services, and we disclaim any such approval or endorsement. We do not control the linked Services, or the content provided through such Services, and we have not reviewed, in their entirety, such Services. Your use of linked Services is subject to the privacy practices and terms of use established by the specific linked Services, and we disclaim all liability for such use. 

4. Information Collected. Use of our Services includes the submission of personal information through our online forms. You are agreeing to submit personal information including student and parent names, email addresses, school, grade in school and phone number.

5. IP Ownership.
  1. FLEX College Prep Copyright. Our Services are owned and operated by FLEX College Prep and its licensors, and the Information (and any intellectual property and other rights relating thereto) is and will remain the property of FLEX College Prep. The Information is protected by U.S. and international copyright, trademark, and other laws, and you acknowledge that these rights are valid and enforceable. Except as set forth in this Agreement, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, adapt, translate, republish, upload, post, transmit, distribute, sub-license, sell, reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble any part of our Services or any Information without our prior written permission. Our Services and Information may be used solely (a) to the extent permitted in this Agreement or (b) as expressly authorized in writing by FLEX College Prep. Use of our Services or any Information for any other purpose is strictly prohibited. You acknowledge that you do not acquire any ownership rights by using our Products and Services or any Information.
  2. FLEX College Prep Trademarks. The trademarks and logos displayed on our Services (collectively, the “Trademarks”) are the registered and unregistered trademarks of FLEX College Prep. Nothing contained in this Agreement, or our Services should be construed as granting, by implication, estoppel, or otherwise, any license or right to use any Trademark(s) without the express written permission of FLEX College Prep, except as set forth in this section. You acknowledge and agree that all rights in and to the FLEX College Prep trademarks are our exclusive property, and any goodwill generated by your use of any FLEX College Prep trademark will insure to our exclusive benefit. You will not take any action that conflicts with our rights in or ownership of any FLEX College Prep trademark.
6. DMCA Notices. If you are a copyright owner or an agent thereof and believe that any User Generated Content or other content on the site infringes upon your copyrights, you may submit a notification pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”) by providing our Copyright Agent with the following information in writing (see 17 U.S.C 512(c)(3) for further detail):
  • A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed;
  • Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or, if multiple copyrighted works at a single online site are covered by a single notification, a representative list of such works at that site;
  • Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity and that is to be removed or access to which is to be disabled and information reasonably sufficient to permit the service provider to locate the material;
  • Information reasonably sufficient to permit the service provider to contact you, such as an address, telephone number, and, if available, an electronic mail;
  • A statement that you have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and a statement that the information in the notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that you are authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.

You can send your notice to FLEX College Prep [email protected]. A copy of your DMCA Notification will be sent to the person who uploaded the material addressed in the Notification. Please be advised that under Section 512(f) of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act you may be held liable for damages and attorneys’ fees if you make material misrepresentations in a DMCA Notification.

0.Use by Children. You hereby affirm that you are over the age of 13 or you are a child under the age of 13 whose account was created by and under their parent/guardian authority. If you are under the age of 13, you are specifically prohibited from the use of the Services otherwise. You or your parent further affirm that you or the parent are fully able and competent to enter into the terms, conditions, obligations, affirmations, representations, and warranties set forth in this Agreement, and to abide by and comply with this Agreement.

0.Term & Termination. This Agreement is effective from the date that you first access our Services and shall remain effective until terminated in accordance with its terms. FLEX College Prep may immediately terminate this Agreement, and/or your access to and use of our Services, or any portion thereof, at any time and for any reason, with or without cause, without prior notice. You understand that FLEX College Prep may exercise this right in its sole discretion, and this right shall be in addition to and not in substitution for any other rights and remedies available to FLEX College Prep. This Agreement will also terminate automatically if you fail to comply with any term or provision of this Agreement. Upon termination of this Agreement by either party, your right to use our Services shall immediately cease, and you shall destroy all copies of information that you have obtained from our Services, whether made under the terms of this Agreement or otherwise. All disclaimers and all limitations of liability and all FLEX College Prep rights of ownership shall survive any termination.

0.Disclaimers. OUR SERVICES ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “WITH ALL FAULTS” AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ANY WARRANTIES THAT MAY ARISE FROM COURSE OF DEALING, COURSE OF PERFORMANCE OR USAGE OF TRADE, AND ANY WARRANTIES THAT THE INFORMATION AND SERVICES ARE CURRENT AND/OR UP-TO-DATE ARE HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.

THERE IS NO WARRANTY, REPRESENTATION OR GUARANTEE THAT OUR SERVICES, OR YOUR USE OF OUR SERVICES, WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, COMPLETE, ACCURATE, CURRENT, RELIABLE, ERROR-FREE, SECURE, OR THAT ANY PROBLEMS WILL BE CORRECTED, OR THAT OUR SERVICES, OR ANY INFORMATION OR OTHER MATERIAL ACCESSIBLE FROM OUR SERVICES, IS FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS. WE DO NOT WARRANT, GUARANTEE, OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION REGARDING THE USE OF, OR THE RESULTS OF THE USE OF OUR SERVICES, AND YOU ASSUME ALL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK FOR YOUR USE OF OUR SERVICES AND INFORMATION AND YOUR RELIANCE THEREON.

0. Limitation of Liability. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FAILURE OF ESSENTIAL PURPOSE OF ANY LIMITED REMEDY OF ANY KIND, NEITHER FLEX COLLEGE PREP NOR ANY OF ITS AGENTS, SUCCESSORS, OR ASSIGNS, NOR FLEX COLLEGE PREP MEMBERS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, CONSULTANTS, OR OTHER REPRESENTATIVES, ARE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE, OR OTHER DAMAGES (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS, OR LOSS OF DATA) OR LIABILITIES UNDER ANY CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHER THEORY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING IN ANY MANNER TO OUR SERVICES, INFORMATION, AND/OR ANY LINKED PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES OR LIABILITIES. YOUR SOLE REMEDY WITH RESPECT TO ANY CLAIMS RELATED TO THESE SERVICES, THE INFORMATION, OR ANY LINKED PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IS TO STOP USING OUR SERVICES, OR LINKED SERVICES, AS APPLICABLE AND A FULL REFUND OF THE FEES PAID FOR THE SERVICES. 

NEITHER FLEX COLLEGE PREP NOR ANY OF ITS AGENTS, SUCCESSORS, OR ASSIGNS, NOR FLEX COLLEGE PREP’S MEMBERS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, CONSULTANTS, OR OTHER REPRESENTATIVES WILL HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY DAMAGES, EXPENSES OR OTHER LIABILITY INCURRED BY YOU AS A RESULT OF ANY INACCURACY, INCOMPLETENESS OR MISREPRESENTATION OF ANY INFORMATION, CONTENT, POSTINGS.

0. Indemnification. You agree to fully indemnify, defend, and hold FLEX College Prep i, agents, successors, and assigns and FLEX College Prep’ s directors, officers, employees, consultants, and other representatives, harmless from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, costs (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), and other expenses that arise directly or indirectly out of or from: (a) your breach of this Agreement; (b) any allegation that any materials you submit to us or transmit to our Services infringe or otherwise violate the copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, or other intellectual property or other rights of any third party; (c) your activities in connection with our Services or other Services to which our Services are linked; and/or (d) your negligence or willful misconduct.

0. Other Jurisdictions. FLEX College Prep makes no representation that our Services operate (or are legally permitted to operate) in all geographic areas, or that our Services or Information are appropriate or available for use in other locations. Accessing our Services from territories where our Services or any content or functionality of our Services or portion thereof is illegal is expressly prohibited. If you choose to access our Services, you agree and acknowledge that you do so on your own initiative and at your own risk, and that you are solely responsible for compliance with all applicable laws.

0. Notice. By use of our Services, you consent to receive electronic communications from FLEX College Prep. You also agree that any such communications satisfy any legal requirement to make such communications in writing under this Agreement or under any applicable laws or regulations. Specifically, we may provide notice to you by sending an email to the address that you provided as part of your registration for our Products and Services. Any notice to FLEX College Prep will be provided by both (a) send via an email to FLEX College Prep at [email protected].; and (b) providing a copy by certified mail, return receipt requested to 800 Roosevelt, Suite 100, Irvine, CA 92620.

0. No Waiver. No delay or omission by either party in exercising any rights under this Agreement will operate as a waiver of that or any other right. A waiver or consent given by either party on any one occasion is effective only in that instance and will not be construed as a bar to or waiver of any right on any other occasion.

0. Assignment. Neither this Agreement nor any right, obligation, or remedy hereunder is assignable, transferable, delegable, or sublicensable by you except with FLEX College Prep’s prior written consent, and any attempted assignment, transfer, delegation, or sublicense shall be null and void. FLEX College Prep may assign, transfer, or delegate this Agreement or any right or obligation or remedy hereunder in its sole discretion.

0. Right to Change Terms. We reserve the right at any time, with or without cause, to (a) change the terms and conditions of this Agreement; (b) change our Services; or (c) deny or terminate your use of and/or access to our Services. Any changes we make will be effective immediately upon our making such changes to our Services, with or without additional notice to you. You agree that your continued use of our Services after such changes constitutes your acceptance of such changes. You hereby acknowledge that you have carefully read all the terms and conditions of our Privacy Policy (which can be accessed at FLEX College Prep Privacy Website Address https://flexcollegeprep.com/privacy-policy) and agree to all such terms and conditions. Be sure to return to this page periodically to ensure familiarity with the most current version of this Agreement. YOUR CONTINUED USE OF OUR SERVICES AFTER SUCH POSTING MEANS YOU ACCEPT AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE MODIFIED TERMS OF USE.

0. Mediation and Arbitration. Any controversy between the Parties to this Agreement involving the construction or application of any of the terms, provisions, or conditions of this Agreement, shall on written request of either party served on the other, be submitted first to mediation and then if still unresolved to binding arbitration. Said mediation or binding arbitration shall comply with and be governed by the provisions of the American Arbitration Association for Commercial Disputes unless the Parties stipulate otherwise. The attorneys’ fees and costs of arbitration shall be borne by the losing party unless the Parties stipulate otherwise, or in such proportions, as the arbitrator shall decide.

0. Governing Law & Venue. This Agreement shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the United States of America and by the laws of the State of California. Orange County in the state of California shall be the exclusive forum for any mediation, arbitration, litigation, or dispute resolution. 

0. Class Action Waiver: To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, You and FLEX College Prep agree to only bring Disputes in an individual capacity and shall not 1. seek to bring, join, or participate in any class or representative action, collective or class-wide arbitration, or any other action where another individual or entity acts in a representative capacity (e.g., private attorney general actions); or 2. consolidate or combine individual proceedings or permit an arbitrator to do so without the express consent of all parties to this Agreement and all other actions or arbitrations.

0. Enforceability. If any provision of this Agreement is found to be unlawful, void, or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable from this Agreement and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions. 

0. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, along with the Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement with respect to the relationship between FLEX College Prep and you and supersedes all prior agreements, whether written or oral, concerning such relationship. This Agreement may not be changed, waived, or modified except by FLEX College Prep as provided herein or otherwise by written instrument signed by FLEX College Prep.

Education
  • Stanford University – MA in International Comparative Education
  • Vanderbilt University – BS in Human and Organizational Development (Education Track); BA in German Studies
Areas of Specialization
  • International students
  • Students seeking admission to highly selective school
  • Chinese immigrant families
  • Social Science majors

Tracy L.

Senior Associate Admissions Consultant

Tracy comes to FLEX with several years of experience as a college admissions consultant and career coach. She attended Vanderbilt, where she double-majored in Human and Organizational Development and German Studies. She then pursued her Master’s in International Comparative Education at Stanford. This combination of roles and achievements equips Tracy with a broad perspective on education and career readiness, enabling her to offer comprehensive guidance to students navigating the complex process of college admissions. 

 

Tracy’s recent experience as an education consultant at UNESCO provides her with an understanding of global education trends. Her deep knowledge of the college admissions process and skill in tailoring strategic applications for students’ unique profiles are enhanced by her research into parenting strategies. Tracy is well-equipped to provide parents with advice on effective communication with their children and parenting styles that best support their academic and personal development.

 

In addition to her professional expertise, Tracy is fluent in English, Chinese, and German. Having grown up in Shanghai, she is also familiar with the Chinese education system, which allows her to provide tailored advice to Chinese immigrant families who have recently arrived in the U.S.

How to Build a Personalized College List

College Admission Trends:

Soft-Skills Have Replaced the SAT In College Admissions

Common Application Common Mistakes

How to Answer UC Personal Insight Questions

Recent Changes to College Admissions

FLEX 2023 Open Houses

Back-to-School Support For Your 6th-12th Grade Student

Featuring presentations by FLEX’s world-class Academic Instructors and Admissions Consultants.

ATTEND the seminar “2023-24: The Impact of Technology on School & College Planning.”

  1. The SAT is going completely digital. How will this impact your student?
  2. What is the role of ChatGPT and other AI in college admissions?
  3. Which classes and extracurriculars should my 6th-12th grader be taking?
  4. Why is personality the new emphasis in college applications?

INDULGE in refreshments, giveaways, games, and more while touring your local FLEX Center.

ENJOY a sneak peek of FLEX’s programs including Impacter Pathway.

MEET the FLEX team who will share tips on back-to-school success.

WIN amazing prizes, worth thousands off our programs, in our raffle drawing.

For more information email [email protected] or call your local center.

How to Write Effective UC Admissions Essays

Does Having Perfect Academics Get You Into The UCs?

A Special Webinar Event

Class of 2023 College Admissions Trends:

Analyzing Surprising Results

Middle Schoolers:

Maximize Your Summer

Why Admissions Officers Look for Personality in Essays

UCLA & Brown Admissions Officers Share Insights

Why A+ Students Don't Get 5s On AP Exams

How AP exams have changed, how colleges use scores, and how FLEX can help

The New "Perfect Profile"

For Getting Into The UCs

ACE Preview Workshop:

College Essay Topic - Common App Personal Statement

UCLA vs USC

Webinars for 6th - 9th Grade Students

Personality Testing: The Newest Trend in Post-Pandemic College Admission

Webinars for 6th - 9th Grade Students

Prepare for Success in High School, College & Beyond

ACE Preview Workshop

Education
  • B.A. Biology and Asian Studies – Bowdoin College
  • M.A. Biological Sciences – CSUEB
Subjects
  • SAT Math
  • ACT Math and Science
  • AP Biology
  • AP Chemistry
  • AP Physics
  • AP Calculus

Akimitsu Makino

Master Instructor

Aki graduated from Bowdoin College with a B.A. in Biology and Asian Studies.  Upon graduation, he gained experience in ophthalmic clinical research, where he was fortunate to co-author publications and co-invent a patent.  While working in the clinic, Aki pursued a master’s degree in the biological sciences at CSU East Bay, where he completed a biotechnology certificate and was one of the few students to be granted a visiting scholar position at UCSF as part of his master’s research for one year.

Aki’s passion for helping students overcome challenges in math and science is demonstrated in his extensive tutoring experience.  From supplementing a student’s school curriculum to designing a customized course; for nearly a decade, he has helped students realize their goals.  In his free time, Aki enjoys learning new subjects and topics, all of which he utilizes when teaching students.

ACE Preview Essay Workshop

Why My Major?

Extracurricular Activities: Summer Planning

School may be in session now, but summer is a great opportunity for students to gain valuable experiences outside the classroom, and planning ahead is important. In recent years, research internships have become an important part of the college admission process, and your student can start building an impressive research resume as early as 9th grade.

A student’s extracurricular profile has become a significant factor in college admissions, speaking volumes to a student’s intellectual curiosity, personal excellence, and character. So how do you go about building one? Should a student display a wide variety of interests or deep interest in a single field? Do colleges care about the quantity over quality of activities? How can you distinguish yourself from other applicants? This is the time to showcase to colleges your passions and accomplishments outside of the classroom.

Join FLEX as we discuss what an extracurricular activities profile is, the relevance of extracurricular and summer activities, and how to build them seamlessly into a robust and cohesive application profile!

Changes & Trends: 

Analyzing Early Results for the Class of 2024

Sarah-Kim
Education
  • B.A. Psychology & B.A. Criminal Justice – University of Maryland
  • M.A. Legal and Forensic Psychology – UC of Irvine
Subjects
  • SAT English
  • ACT English
  • English
  • AP Psychology

Sarah Kim

Associate Instructor

Sarah Kim graduated from the University of Maryland in College Park with a B.A. in Psychology and a B.A. in Criminal Justice/Criminology. She currently studies at the University of California, Irvine pursuing a Master’s in Legal and Forensic Psychology. There, her research focuses on rapport and support building in interviews with adolescent victims of sex trafficking. She takes her research focus on rapport building to reach students individually in a gentle but focused manner. When not working or doing school work, she loves to read, dance, and spend time with her dog.

Sarah has been tutoring for 7 years with experience in K-12 general English as well as SAT/ACT Test Preparation. She specializes in the reading writing components of standardized tests. Her extensive background in tutoring has allowed her to be considerate of all students’ needs–whether that be young children learning how to read or high schoolers wanting to succeed on their SAT. Sarah believes that each student should be met where they are and strongly believes that every student can succeed.

Education
  • B.S. Economics – Arizona State University
  • M.A. Educational Leadership and Administration – UC Davis
  • Master of Education – Arizona State University
  • Ph.D. Sociocultural Studies and Educational Policy – Arizona State University
Subjects
  • English
  • Spanish
  • AP Spanish

Carmina Mendoza

Master Instructor

Dr. Carmina Mendoza is an education scholar with 25 years of experience in the public education sector. Her research and teaching have focused on Spanish instruction at different levels–elementary, secondary, and higher education.  Dr. Mendoza has decades of experience, both as a teacher and as a researcher of Spanish immersion programs in Arizona and California. 

Dr. Mendoza is also an active adjunct professor at Santa Clara University, teaching courses at the Masters of Arts in Teaching and Credential program. In this program, Dr. Mendoza has taught graduate level courses in Spanish to students who want to add a Spanish/English bilingual authorization to their teaching credential. 

Dr. Mendoza is also a published author. She is the author of the book Transnational Messages: Experiences of Chinese and Mexican Immigrants in American Schools.  She has also written chapters in edited volumes and articles in peer-reviewed academic journals, including the High School Journal and Multilingual Educator (publication of the California Association for Bilingual Education).

Education
  • B.A. Social Sciences, Emphasis Sociology – New York University
Subjects
  • ACT English and Reading
  • AP English Language and Composition
  • AP European History
  • AP Psychology
  • AP US History
  • SAT Verbal

Sara Delgado

Associate Instructor

Sara has a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences with an emphasis on sociology from New York University, and an Associates of Art in Sociology from Fullerton College. Sara’s past experiences as an educator and tutor range from Elementary to College age students. She provided peer-led supplemental instruction during her time at Fullerton College; during this supplemental instruction, she assisted students with understanding concepts and assignments in English courses taught at the school. She currently works as a long-term substitute teacher for local high schools. Sara’s main motivation to pursue a career as an educator is to support students and provide them with a fun and conducive learning experience that will set them up for future success.

Education
  • B.S. Computer Game Science – UC Irvine
Subjects
  • AP Computer Science A
  • Computer Science: C/C++
  • Computer Science: Java
  • Computer Science: Python
  • Math, Lower Level (Alg2 and Below)
  • Pathways – STEM Coding

Theodore (Teo) Lee

Associate Instructor

Theodore (Teo) Lee graduated from the University of California-Irvine with a B.S. in Computer Game Science. He has been tutoring computer science for the last 5 years, helping those new to the field understand and develop their computer science skills. In addition to tutoring, Teo is President of the local Association for Computing Machinery. He has led many team projects developing software, and he has won numerous prizes in the many competitions he has attended.

When teaching students, Teo likes to implement practical examples and explain concepts using visual models and diagrams. In the field of Computer Science more specifically, it is especially important to understand how things work “under the hood,” so Teo strives to equip his students with multiple ways of thinking about a problem, thereby developing their own style in navigating the various technical routes toward achieving a solution.

Education
  • B.S. Business Administration in Marketing and Finance – UC Berkeley
  • M.S Education – CSU East Bay
  • Multiple Subject Teaching Credential – CSU East Bay
  • Single Subject Teaching Credential English, History Social Science, Science – CSU East Bay
Subjects
  • AP Macro and Micro
  • ACT English Reading Science
  • SAT Verbal
  • AP Gov
  • APUSH
  • AP Lit and Lang
  • AP Environmental Science

Rick Denny

Master Instructor

Rick attended San Francisco’s Lowell High, qualifying as a National Merit Finalist. After graduating from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, Denny spent 15 years marketing and managing tech startups that were acquired by Amazon, Microsoft, Time Warner, and others for hundreds of millions of dollars.

Seeking to make a meaningful difference in students’ lives, Rick earned an MS in Education, and seven California teaching credentials including single subject English, history and social science, and science. Since 2007, Denny has taught and tutored diverse learners in English through AP Language and AP Literature; social science through AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, and AP US History; and science through AP Environmental Science. Rick has also mentored students in individual college-level research projects.

Since 2013, Denny has helped students excel on standardized tests, especially the SAT and ACT.  Rick particularly enjoys individual tutoring because he likes getting to know his students and their interests, customizing instruction to meet their needs, and contributing to their growth and success. His tutoring superpowers are listening, analysis, patience, and humor.

Education
  • B.A. English, Philosophy – University of Hartford
  • Ph.D. English – UC Irvine
Subjects
  • AP English Language & Composition
  • AP English Literature & Composition
  • AP Psychology
  • FRMC – Humanities

Michael Mahoney

Master Instructor

Dr. Michael Mahoney holds a PhD in English from the University of California-Irvine, where he has extensive experience teaching university courses in College Writing, English, Philosophy, Film, and History. Michael is widely recognized for his ability to engage students. He has received multiple campus-wide awards in recognition of his excellence as an instructor. In addition to his teaching, Michael’s research has also been recognized for its innovative approach to interdisciplinarity. His doctoral work has received support from endowments in fields as diverse as literary criticism, medical humanities, and science and technology studies.

Michael believes strongly in a student-centered approach to teaching, one that emphasizes active engagement with core concepts in order to achieve specific learning outcomes. His goal is to equip students with the skills to think critically, meaningfully, and independently about texts, ultimately helping them gain a sense of mastery and command over their use of language. Drawing on nearly a decade of experience teaching college writing in various disciplines, Michael also aims to help students reach their full potential in developing compelling and insightful essays.

Elijah
Education
  • B.S. Mathematics – Harvey Mudd College
Subjects
  • AP Calculus
  • College Math
  • SAT Math
  • Math (lower and upper level)

Elisha Dayag

Associate Instructor

Elisha Dayag is a PhD student in Mathematics at UC Irvine. He received his BS in Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College. For the past five years, he has taught and tutored a wide range of students and topics: everything from 6th graders to college students doing calculus and beyond.

As a tutor, Elisha feels that math instruction should be tailored to a student’s specific needs and help soothe any anxieties they may have regarding mathematics. He further believes that anyone can be proficient in and, more importantly, find joy in doing mathematics given enough practice and the right guidance.

Education
  • B.A. English, Minor in European Studies – UCLA
  • M.A. English – CSU Long Beach
Subjects
  • ACT English and Reading
  • AP English Language & Composition
  • AP English Literature & Composition
  • AP European History
  • AP US History
  • AP World History
  • Pathways – English & Writing
  • SAT Verbal

Chelsea Gibbons

Associate Instructor

Chelsea Gibbons holds a B.A. in English with a minor in European studies from UCLA and an M.A. in English from Cal State Long Beach, where she specialized in 18th century British literature. While pursuing her Master’s, Chelsea worked as a managing editor for the school’s academic journal and taught as a graduate assistant for numerous literature and history classes. Outside of the university setting, Chelsea has instructed high school students across the humanities, and specifically in the test prep environment: her teaching background includes AP English Language, AP English Literature, AP European History, AP US History, AP World History, college application essays, and standardized test prep (ACT, ISEE, PSAT, SAT).

Chelsea views the classroom as a democratic space. Her students are active participants in their own learning, guided as they are through thoughtful discussions and assignments. She strongly believes that the development of critical thinking and the promotion of a global perspective makes humanities classes crucial to every student’s education, no matter what their major or academic focus.

Education
  • M.S. Physics – New York University
  • M.S. Applied Mathematics – CalPoly University, Pomona
  • M.S. Physical Chemistry – CalPoly University, Pomona
  • B.S. Physics – CalPoly University, Pomona
Subjects
  • AP Calculus AB/BC
  • AP Chemistry
  • AP Physics 1
  • AP Physics 2
  • AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism
  • AP Physics C: Mechanics
  • Chemistry
  • Computer Science: Python
  • Math, Upper Level (Trig and Up)
  • Pathways – STEM Coding

Andres Cardenas

Principal Instructor

Andrés Cárdenas is an accomplished scientist and STEM teacher. He holds multiple Master’s degrees: one in Computational Physics from NYU, another in Applied Math from CalPoly, and one in Physical Chemistry, also from CalPoly.

After working as a researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Andrés spent 8 years teaching AP Physics at New York City high schools. His passion for science, in part, explains his love for teaching: his classroom enthusiasm is immediately visible,  something his students find contagious. Andrés believes that a robust STEM education starts with a student’s sense of wonder and a desire to discover; and his curriculum work reflects an emphasis on connecting concepts with theory organically—be it in mathematics, physics, chemistry, or computer science.

How to Build Your Extracurricular Activities Profile

For Stand-Out College Applications

Pre-Med and BS/MD Programs -
What It Takes to Get In:

Is There a Doctor in the House?

What Sophomores & Juniors Should Be Doing Right Now to Prepare for College

Senior year may seem like it’s far away, but if you start your college application planning now, you will reduce stress and reap the rewards of a seamless and quality college journey.

In this seminar, we will share how a little foresight in specific areas will help you achieve your college goals. Topics covered include:

  • Choosing Classes Strategically
    • Did you know that public schools and private schools calculate their GPA differently? Learn how to select classes that will optimize admission to your target college. We’ll also talk about the importance of taking Honors/AP® courses, as well as college level credits in high school.
  • Building Your Extracurricular Activities
    • What you do outside of class both in school and off campus is an important part of your college application journey. We’ll provide strategies on how to not only best keep track of your extra-curricular activities now but also give you insights on which activities can enhance your college application.
  • Preparing for Standardized Tests
    • Students should actively plan and prep for standardized tests well before their senior year. We’ll share how you can best approach your PSAT®/SAT®/ACT® and what you should start doing now to maximize your success on the target test date.

Attend this in-person seminar to learn what Sophomores and Juniors MUST know about college applications and how you can get a winning start!

Changes & Trends:

Early Results For The Class Of 2023

Maikel-Masoud
Education
  • BSC. Mechanical Engineer – University of Alexandria
  • A.S. Mechanical Engineering – Diablo College
  • B.S. Mechanical Engineering – UC Berkeley
Subjects
  • AP Physics
  • Math (lower and upper level)
  • SAT Math
  • ACT Math and Science
  • AP Calculus

Maikel Masoud

Associate Instructor

Michael holds a Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley and another from Alexandria University in Egypt. And he is currently pursuing a Master’s in Robotics at the University of Maryland.

Michael is passionate about education. He believes that he can help make every student love Mathematics and Physics – even those who have had a hard time coping with the nuances and complexities of these fields. Michael has taught widely throughout the Bay Area. He has been an instructor and STEM tutor at Diablo Valley College, as well as working in that capacity with students in private schools in San Francisco and in Berkeley. Having served in the US Army as a Combat Medic Specialist, Michael is experienced in aiding individuals when they are under extreme stress and in need of a calming, motivating presence. Michael is generous and kind, and particularly enjoys connecting to different cultures and people of all backgrounds.

Flex College Prep
Education
  • PhD Sociology – University of Southern California

Alfredo Huante

College Essay Instructor

Alfredo Huante holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Southern California. He has taught several undergraduate courses, introducing students to or advancing their understanding of the social world. Alfredo has published works in academic journals and
websites and has ample editing experience. Alfredo excels at helping students translate their experiences into engaging, written essays by adjusting to each student’s specific needs.

Flex College Prep
Education
  • B.A. English – Stanford University

Cristina Herrera Mezgravis

College Essay Instructor

Cristina graduated from Stanford University with Distinction and awards both in fiction and nonfiction for exceptional work in Creative Writing. Her application essays were published in 50 Successful Stanford Application Essays and 50 Successful University of California Application Essays.

She taught English to elementary school students while studying abroad in Paris, ran a creative writing program for high school students during her senior year at Stanford, and currently volunteers as an ESL tutor with the Palo Alto Adult School. Cristina worked for two years at an Andreessen Horowitz-backed startup, prototyping a new mobile app for teachers and students, and curating unpublished books, stories, and deleted scenes by New York Times bestselling authors.

Her experience in admissions consulting began by helping friends and family highlight the passions that set them apart as individuals and select the colleges that were a right fit for them. Students she advised were admitted to Stanford University, USC, and UC Berkeley, among others.

sara-fernandes
Education
  • B.A. English – Santa Clara University
  • Masters of Library and Information Science – San Jose State University

Sara Fernandes

Assistant Director of College Essay

Sara attended UC Berkeley and transferred to Santa Clara University after deciding she wanted the opportunity to work with faculty on research. While at Santa Clara University, she helped Professor Judy Dunbar research and edit her book The Winter’s Tale: Shakespeare In Performance . Sara then went on to obtain her Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science at San Jose State University and graduated in the top 1% of her class.

She has used her undergraduate and graduate education to pursue her passion of teaching research and writing to students. Sara has over five years of experience teaching and coaching, over two of which are with FLEX College Prep. At FLEX, Sara has successfully taught classes in SAT Verbal, ACT Verbal, middle school writing and English classes, college essay, and AP English Language and Composition.

She is committed to staying current with trends in test prep and college admissions as well as setting realistic goals for each student so that he or she can achieve success.

NicholasD
Education
  • B.A. US History and Philosophy – UC Davis
  • M.A History – San Francisco State University

Nicholas Dawes

College Essay Instructor

Nick Dawes earned his BA in US History with a philosophy minor from the University of California, Davis, and an MA in History with a concentration in cross-cultural contact from San Francisco State University. While Nick was growing up, many in his family were teachers and school administrators across the South Bay, including Fremont Union High School District, so he is intimately familiar with the academic landscape of the Bay Area.

While in graduate school, he lectured in undergraduate courses, acted as an associate editor of an academic journal, and published his own original work. After graduation, Nick worked in standardized test prep, AP subject tutoring, and he most recently taught at a Bay Area private school for five years. He believes that students learn and work best when they have a productive relationship with their instructor.

In his essay coaching, he works to help students dig deeper into who they are as individuals and what motivates them in order to find the compelling, unique stories in each student. Nick has worked with students on their college admissions essays for the last 9 years, helping students gain admission to top UCs and other prestigious top 20 public and private institutions across the country.

Flex College Prep
Education
  • Doctoral study in Human Development and
  • Psychology – Harvard University
  • M.A. Applied Child Development – Tufts University
  • B.A. Anthropology – Boston University

Martha Crowe

Master Consultant & Instructor

Martha Crowe has worked with, for, and on behalf of youth for three decades, as a social worker, child advocate, nonprofit director, consultant, and for the past eight years, as a professor, researcher, and medical writer at SDSU. Helping people tell their stories has been at the heart of each phase of her career. Martha loves getting to know young people — to hear about what they care about, what they are good at, and what their dreams are for their futures. And magic can happen when they trust her enough to help them tell their stories in an authentic and compelling way that both honors who they are and convinces admissions counselors to accept them.

 

Martha believes in taking a personalized approach with each student, tailoring her time with them based on their individual writing skills and learning needs. Her approach is always based on genuine care and concern combined with concrete action items and deadlines. For the past four years, Martha has helped students get into a variety of colleges, as well as honors programs within those colleges, from tiny to huge, rural to urban, California to the East Coast: UC Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD, UC Davis, Northeastern, UMass Amherst, University of Michigan, Syracuse, Macalester, Santa Clara University, Pepperdine, University of San Diego, Loyola Marymount, Cal Lutheran, Cal Arts, Claremont McKenna Colleges, University of Minnesota, University of Illinois-Urbana Champagne, among others.

 

Martha grew up in Kansas City and joyfully left for Boston after high school, attending Boston University, Tufts, and Harvard for undergraduate and graduate school. She moved to SoCal in 2004 to spend time with her brother after graduation, and like so many others, forgot to leave. Most importantly, she’s a mom to three kids, who are, at the time of this writing, 18, 16, and 12, and an auntie to 58 nieces and nephews (true story) and too many great nieces and nephews to count. In her spare time, Martha volunteers with High Tech High, Miracle League, and Meals on Wheels, is an avid reader, and loves hanging out with her kids.

Flex College Prep
Education
  • B.S. Mathematics – UCSD
  • M.S. Psychology – King’s College London (In Progress)

Helena Chen

College Essay Instructor

Helena is a Masters student in Psychology with extensive experience in the education sector, where she has worked as a teacher, consultant and student advocate. She started tutoring students in high school and supported herself in college as an SAT instructor. With a mathematics background but still very much interested in pedagogy and mentorship, Helena decided to leverage her analytical mindset and ability to problem-solve by continuing to work in college admissions consulting–advising high school students and their families on the complex college admissions process. Through this work, she continued her passion for teaching others how to write and hone their narrative voice, which brought her to FLEX as a college essay instructor.

Flex College Prep
Education
  • B.A. English/Creative Writing; Minor: Music Industry and Cinematic Arts – University of Southern California

Gabriel Block

College Essay Instructor

Gabriel graduated magna cum laude from the University of Southern California with a BA in English/Creative Writing. He honed his writing skills through writing-intensive programs at USC and the University of Melbourne in Australia. After graduating, he spent four years in the music industry working for Sony Music Publishing, where he engaged in daily writing assignments and excelled at working with others and building trusting relationships. Gabriel has years of teaching experience; he brings a warm energy and first hand expertise in writing successful college essays. In the classroom, Gabriel values trust and joy. With a genuine interest in others, he builds trust through keen listening and clear and open communication, and asks for the same, in return. By having fun with the material and leading with positive reinforcement, he brings his best to the classroom and gets the best from his students. Most importantly, Gabriel believes in pursuing what you love. He can’t wait to learn what makes you who you are and to help you convey your authentic self to your dream school.

Northern California Info Banks September 17th

An Inside Look at Flex College Admissions
jaimie
Education
  • UC Irvine – MA in Art History
  • UC Irvine – BA in Art History with a minor in English
Language(s)
  • English (native proficiency)
  • Korean (conversational)

Jaimie Joo

Associate Consultant & College Essay Instructor

Since her days as an undergraduate, Jaimie has had an insider’s perspective of the college admissions process at the University of California system. She has worked as a Campus Representative in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and as an Academic Advisor in the School of Humanities at UC Irvine, where she gained invaluable insight into the admissions and counseling process. Because of these experiences, Jaimie understands the importance of fit when selecting and applying to colleges. Additionally, she has been able to work with a diverse group of students, including international students and first-generation students.

With all of her students, Jaimie strives to help them gain entrance to a college or university that will not only set them up for career success, but will also help them find joy in learning. She hopes she can help her students feel empowered in their own skills and abilities.

Jaimie is also a FLEX College Essay Specialist, which allows her to bring out her students’ most authentic and compelling selves. She has a proven track record in producing high-quality storytelling with her students and finds that writing is a necessary strength for any major.

In terms of admissions, Jaimie has worked with students who have been granted admission to John Hopkins, UC San Diego, and UC Irvine.

During her free time, Jaimie volunteers for an Asian American art collective. She enjoys reading, writing, and talking about pop culture.

dickson
Education
  • B.A. Computer Science and Linguistics at UC Berkeley
Subjects
  • AP Computer Science A
  • Computer Science: Java
  • Computer Science: Python
  • Math, Lower Level (Alg2 and Below)
  • Math, Upper Level (Trig and Up)

Dickson Tsai

Master Instructor

Dickson Tsai graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.A. in Computer Science and Linguistics, and he is currently a software engineer. While at Berkeley, he worked as a teaching assistant for numerous computer science courses. In addition to teaching undergraduates, he also tutored high school students online in AP Computer Science and on the SAT, reaching the Top 10 in “Super Helpful” ratings at a top online education service platform.

Dickson cares most about cultivating a growth mindset in students, since an internal desire to improve leads to a stronger, healthier motivation than any external reward. He emphasizes a mastery of fundamentals through highly interactive activities like drawing program visualizations for AP Computer Science. 

Through this and other activities, Dickson works to accurately assess his students’ understanding and provide timely, actionable feedback. That way, students can gain the confidence to reason on their own from first principles.

AshleyR
Education
  • B.A. Creative Writing – SFSU
Subjects
  • English Enrichment
  • College Essay

Ashley Rodriguez

Associate Instructor

Ashley attended San Francisco State University where she received her BA in Creative Writing with an emphasis in Poetry. As an avid writer, Ashley developed an interest in poetry at a very young age, after immersing herself in the collections of Edgar Allen Poe and William Shakespeare. Throughout her college experience, Ashley participated in numerous workshops where she was able to sharpen her skills in playwriting, poetry, short stories, novels, and essays. She worked as an Editor for Transfer Magazine, SF State’s literary publication, where she read and edited hundreds of submissions and selected the best pieces to be published. After college, Ashley worked as an Editor for an appraisal firm, interned as a writer for a travel magazine, and became the lead writer for a video game startup, here in the Silicon Valley.

Her passion for writing developed into a drive to educate youth on the English language. From Creative Writing to grammar and vocabulary, Ashley enjoys helping students hone their writing skills and prepare them for college. For over 5 years with FLEX, she has tutored students in essay writing for college and graduate school applications, with a focus on Architecture, History, Interior Design, Art, STEM, Social Sciences, and more! Ashley is a taskmaster who ensures her students complete coherent, authentic, and strategic essays well before application deadlines.

MattL
Education
  • B.S. Mathematics – Stanford University
  • M.S. Mathematics – San Jose State University
  • Ph.D. Mathematics – UC Santa Barbara
Subjects
  • SAT I & II Math
  • ACT Math
  • AP Calculus AB and BC
  • Computer Science (Java, C++, & Python)

Matt Lazar

Principal Instructor

Matt Lazar specializes in mathematics, including Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Precalculus, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, Multivariable Calculus, Linear Algebra, and Discrete Mathematics. He is also familiar with higher level mathematics including abstract algebra, complex analysis, real analysis, differential geometry, differential topology, and point set topology. In addition, he has experience in editing math textbooks. Matt Lazar is capable of teaching introductory computer science languages, including the languages of C++, Java, and Python. Within the area of computer science, Dr. Lazar specializes in two dimensional and three-dimensional computer graphics.

At FLEX College Prep, Dr. Lazar would like to transfer his skills in mathematics and computer science to his students, so that his students can become successful in their education and their careers. Matt’s exceptional teaching ability is also shown in his AP track record, where the average AP Calc BC score of his students is 4.9, with 90% of his students earning 5s. His passion for math has enabled students across the ability spectrum to achieve their Calculus learning goals.